GETTIN' INTO THE MUSHROOMS

In the Fall issue of A2Z, The Highpointers Club Newsletter, under Klimbin' Kollaborator, a member asks for altitude sickness info and "tricks" that high climbers use to cope.

Yeah, we'd like to know some tricks, too. Prior to doing Whitney, my first 14K+ mountain, I got my doctor to write a prescription for acetazolamide (Diamox). He balked at the mention of my doing elevation stuff, but doctors are notorious for telling us we'll never walk again, etc. I decided it was an envy thing, them being stuck in their office all day examining hypochondriacs.

On arriving in California and curious about the pills in my backpack, I talked to the pharmacist at the Lone Pine drug store, thinking he'd know all about it being who he was where he was. He said the side-effects of Diamox could be similar to altitude sickness itself. Duh. Well, I didn't bother taking any after all and lived.

We're curious about gettin' into the mushrooms - reishi, in particular - to help allay high elevation discomforts. If you're reading this then you can probably research "altitude sickness" on the web. There are numerous sites covering the topic though often trying to sell you something. That's nothing new; wade through it.

Books: We have Going Higher, Charles Houston, and a new, compact publication, Altitude Illness: Prevention & Treatment, Stephen Bezruchka, M.D., M.P.H. Buy used from Amazon, save money.

Nineteen-K, Pen May, a tough hi-klimbin' Kilimanjaro hike leader with lots of Sierra Nev (CA) experience says, "Altitude sickness? Cannot help with "tricks" at all...just staying very aerobically fit, acclimatizing well en route and drinking lots of water...that's all I know!"